The most famous landmark of the [[Big Bone]] area, Big Bone Lick, is now the site of a [[Big Bone Lick State Park|state park]]. The salt lick, or lick, as it is more generally known here, was long known to the original inhabitants of the area. It was discovered by people of European descent about 1735, the first recorded instance being one Robert Smith, an Indian trader. ​

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The most famous landmark of the [[Big Bone]] area, Big Bone Lick, is now the site of a state park. The salt lick, or lick, as it is more generally known here, was long known to the original inhabitants of the area. It was discovered by people of European descent about 1735, the first recorded instance being one Robert Smith, an Indian trader. ​

The extraordinarily large bones of mammoths and mastodons found in the swamps around the salt lick frequented by animals, who need salt in their diets, was the most notable feature to be found in the entire geographical region. Even the first maps noted it as "the place the big bones are found."​ It was a source of huge bones for paleontologists for several centuries.

The extraordinarily large bones of mammoths and mastodons found in the swamps around the salt lick frequented by animals, who need salt in their diets, was the most notable feature to be found in the entire geographical region. Even the first maps noted it as "the place the big bones are found."​ It was a source of huge bones for paleontologists for several centuries.